#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1892-05-17

Hello my darlings! It's Emma here, your favourite tutu-clad time-travelling ballerina, ready to take you on another fabulous journey through the history of this most magnificent of dancewear! As always, my lovely pink tutu is ready for a spin through the past!

This week we're waltzing back to 17th May, 1892. That's a little over 130 years ago - can you believe it? Back then, life was a tad slower paced - a bit like those charming waltz melodies I adore. But even with less bustling, tutus were still taking centre stage!

We're in Paris, the beating heart of ballet, a city that just breathes elegance and artistic beauty. Can you imagine, dear readers, cobblestone streets, grand buildings with intricate carvings and an air of refinement that would leave you feeling like a princess?

Speaking of princesses, let's talk about ballet! You wouldn't have caught me in a traditional ballet performance that day. I wouldn't be seated in the opulent Opera Garnier - a veritable masterpiece in itself - watching some famous ballerina pirouette her way across the stage in her beautiful white tutu.

Why? Because today is all about the dancers, but not the ballerinas. It's about the Ballets Russes! Now, before you start dreaming of majestic white swans, the Ballets Russes were anything but traditional. They were a whirlwind of daring, revolutionary choreography and music, and they were ready to bring a breath of fresh air to the stuffy world of ballet.

Sergei Diaghilev, the mastermind behind the Ballets Russes, had a knack for discovering groundbreaking choreographers like Michel Fokine. Diaghilev wasn't content with just showing the old classics – he wanted to take audiences on a wild ride with their own daring artistic vision.

This bold group would push boundaries, challenging expectations, and inspiring everyone with their flamboyant performances. Can you imagine, dear readers, tutus not necessarily being white, but adorned with glittering embellishments and revolutionary shapes, expressing a bolder, more theatrical world of ballet! They dared to explore other cultures and mythologies through dance, which gave ballet a brand-new dimension, like adding a shimmering feather to a perfect ballerina bun!

I'd be hopping around, mesmerized, as they dance. In Paris, that evening, we wouldn't have been enjoying the usual traditional ballerinas of the Paris Opera. This is before Anna Pavlova, who will come later. The Ballets Russes, the artistic innovators, are still relatively new and about to set the world on fire!

I could tell you more about what made this particular ballet show unique. Or I could go back to 1795 when Charles Didelot's Ballet called "The Dance" was considered revolutionary with its lighter costumes. He brought the Romantic era in a new direction and then the new, short and lightweight tutus we see in today’s ballet came from his influence on his daughter Marie Taglioni.

But that's a story for another day! Today is all about the Ballets Russes! Imagine, darling, seeing tutus in all shades of colours - maybe even a fabulous shade of pink! And, let's face it, all those tutus were about a little something extra – the thrill of seeing something different, something exciting!

So, why are tutus so iconic? What makes them stand out from the rest of the wardrobe, dear readers? It's all about how they tell a story, how they enhance the dance and the music, how they let the dancers soar. That's what the Ballets Russes got right.

But there’s a fun fact for you, darling! You won’t see traditional tutus all the time at the ballet. I don't mean just for fun or in those exciting performances, like the Ballets Russes. There is even a variety of tutus, too! For example, do you know about the ‘tutu pancake’, which is just a few layers of tulle for more modern dances or to highlight leg line for particular movement. Now there’s a style for all tastes, from full tutus, as big as they get, all the way to a shorter pancake variety and everything in between. They're the most fabulous dancers on the planet and they can dance beautifully and easily in any of these styles of tutus!

So, whether it’s 1892 and the Ballets Russes in all their artistic glory, or a modern performance of "The Nutcracker," there’s no doubt about it - tutus make a statement. They express magic and movement, they add beauty to the stage.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, my dears, I’m off to London. Can you imagine what adventures await in that glorious city with its Victorian splendour, the fashionable theatres and its history of Ballet? I just have to pack a few tutus - I am after all a time traveller, and when I arrive I am going to a tea party. Do I have time for a few new pink tulle ones and a sparkly hat? The ballet has to have glamour after all, don’t you think?

Until next week, dear readers, remember - keep your head held high and a little tutu sparkle in your heart. Because even with a quick hop back through time to 1892 we can learn more about the history of this stunning costume! And let's keep that TutuTuesday spirit alive. Keep dreaming, keep dancing, and never let anyone tell you you can’t rock a pink tutu!

See you next Tuesday!